We’ve spent quite a bit of time over the last month on recruitment – we’re hiring a new member of Little Cricket and have also been publicising available positions and sharing appointment news for most of our clients recently – and it’s made us think about how easy it is to underestimate the impact that hiring new staff has on your company’s public relations.

Many trade publications have sections dedicated to new appointments and most businesses that “do” PR recognise the value of sharing a new hire press release, but the recruitment press release isn’t the beginning, or the end, of the influence that new hires can have on your public relations efforts.

Here’s how savvy businesses can get the most PR benefit out of hiring new staff – from before you post the job ad to after their induction.

Include more than the job description in the job advertisement.

A job advertisement shouldn’t just be a list of responsibilities, required skills and character traits – it’s an opportunity to introduce your business. The job ad should give potential candidates (and anyone else reading it) a clear sense of your company’s values and personality through both the content, language and tone

Use your job ad to attract visitors to your website.

Job seekers aren’t the only people that look at job ads - sharing your post on social media, through recruitment websites and agencies attracts attention from colleagues, competitors and clients as well as potential candidates. By sharing your job ad on your website, you encourage visitors to view other content on your site and increase brand awareness.

Treat every candidate as an influencer.

If you’ve ever been on the other side of the recruitment process, you know how stressful it can be. Don’t put yourself at risk of a disgruntled review on Glassdoor or negative social media posts because you cut short interviews that weren’t showing promise or didn’t respond to applicant’s queries. This doesn’t mean that you have to personally engage with everyone that applies for the job – just be clear about the process, and try to be kind. You never know where the people you’re interviewing might pop up.

Make new staff feel welcome.

Start off on the right foot. Chances are that your new staff member will post something on social media about their first day working at your company, make sure that they’re sharing a positive experience.

Leverage new staff’s knowledge and networks.

New team members are normally keen to demonstrate their expertise and add value to the company. While it may take a while for them to settle into their new role, they probably have a lot of industry knowledge and experience to share. Get them involved in conceptualising and creating content that reflects their expertise and use their networks to boost your content distribution channels.

Keep your new hire keen.

What your employees say about the company has a big influence on your industry reputation. If you treat them fairly, reward them well and keep them involved in the future of the company they can become your biggest brand ambassadors and play a vital role in your public relations.